Hydraulic steering-check for vehicles.



H. LEMP.

HYDRAULIC STEERING GIIEGK EOE VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. 1907.

Patented July 13, 1909.

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Inventor', `FhsTT-rwazxrwrw Lem By s Witnesses:

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H. LEMP.

HYDRAULIC STEERING CHECK FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIGATION FILED MAB.. 9. 1907.

Patented July 13, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Y 27 kaf. l Z5 Inventor: Hermazn Lemf,

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HERMANN LEMP, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HYDRAULIC STEERING-CHECK FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 9, 1907.

Patented July 13, 1909.

Serial No. 361,448.

T0 att whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, 'HERMANN LEMP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in `Hydraulic Steering- Checks for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motor vehicles, and its object is to provide a steering check for such vehicles which is adapted more particularly for heavy trucks, though capable of use with any type of automobile.

The invention consists, in brief, of a train of reducing gears interposed between the steering wheel and the guiding wheels of the vehicle, said gears or a portion of them being arranged to act as a rotary pump. The gear case is filled with a suit-able liquid, such as a heavy lubricant, and a by-pass is provided from one side of the pump to the other, with a valve controlling the same and operated from a point near the steering wheel. Then the valve is open, the gears can be readily turned to effect the steering of the vehicle, but as soon as the valve is closed they are locked by the lubricant or other liquid, since its passage from one side of the gears to the other is blocked.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a steering device and check of this description, taken on the line 1 1, Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 2e-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line 1 /1, Fig. 1; Fig'. 5 is a vertical section, showing the valve closed; Fig'. G is a similar view showing the valve open; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the lower end portion of the valve; and Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the location of the steering wheel, check and levers relatively to the frame and guiding wheels.

The steering wheel is made in two parts, the upper part 1 being rigidly fastened to the steering post 2, while the lower part 3 is vertically movable with reference thereto. The steering post is tubular and passes through a stuffing boX L1 rising from the gear easing 5, in which said post has a long bearing. At its lower end said post carries a pinion 6 which meshes with a spur gear 7 secured upon a shaft 8 whose upper end is journaled in a suitable bearing 9 in the casing. The pinion and gear are housed in a chamber 10 in the lower part of this portion of the casing, the chamber being higher than the width of the gear, so that the latter can rotate easily therein. Above the chamber 10 is a reservoir 11 covered by a removable lid 12. A small port 13 is made in the wall of this reservoir leading into the bearing of the post 2, and controlled by a check valve 111 opening toward said bearing, for a purpose afterward explained.

Below the gear casing 5, and preferably formed separate therefrom but secured thereto, is a second gear casing 15, and interposed between said casings is a valve chest 1G. In the casing 15 is a spur gear 17 secured to a shaft 1S which has a long bearing in said casing and projects through a straling box 19 depending from the under side thereof. This gear meshes with a pinion 20 secured on the lower end of the shaft 18, which passes down through the valve chest and the lower casing and has a bearing 21 therein.

To the lower end of the shaft 1S is secured au arm 22, whose outer end is connected by links 23 and 211 with the wheel pivot arms 25, whereby the wheels 26 can be turned on their pivots 27.

The structure thus far described constitutes simply a train of reducing gearing between the steering wheel 1 and the finger ln order to produce a checking action, the lower casing is filled with some liquid, such as a heavy lubricant. The gear 17 has a close fit in its casing, so that it constitutes, with its pinion 20, a rotary pump tending to force the liquid from one side of the casing to the other when operated. In order to permit this to be done, the two sides of the easing are connected by a by-pass controlled by a valve. The by-pass is preferably eomposed of two passageways, one of which, 2S, runs from one side of the casing to a valve chamber 29, while the other, 30, runs from the other side of said casing to the same valve chamber, entering it at a different level from the passageway 2S. ln the 'alve chamber is a` valve 31, preferably cylindrical, and provided with a circumferential groove 32 which is connected by longitudinal holes with the lower portion of the valve chamber. Then the valve is raised so that the groove registers with the upper passageway 28, the two passageways are put into communication with each other through these holes 33, and the liquid can flow freely from one side of the casing to the other, so that the gears can be easily turned. This position ot the Valve is shown in F ig. G. But when the valve is lowered, as shown in F ig. l and Fig. 5, it shuts the upper passageway and blocks the fiow of liquid, so that the gears are thereby locked. The valve is operated by the lower portion 8 oi' the steering wheel, which has spokes 34 extending through slots in the tubular post 2 and connected to the upper end of a rod 35 passing down through said post and attached to the valve; said valve being preterably fitted to the inside of the lower portion of said post, which is in this event in line with the valve chamber.

In order to lubricate the upper gear and pinion the upper casing is iilled with lubricant, and to maire up for leakage, the reservoir l1 is also filled with lubricant. The check valve lll permits the lubricant to flow from the reservoir when needed, but. prevents the lubricant in the gear casings from backing up into the reservoir.

The operation of the device is as follows: Vhen the steering wheel is grasped, preparatory to turning it, the two portions 1 ^and 3 of the rim are brought together, thus raising the valve and putting the two passageways into communication. As the wheel is turned, motion is transmitted to the steering arm 22, through the train of gearing, preferably at about a 7 to l reduction. As the gears 17 and pinion 2O rotate, they eX- ert a pumping action which forces the lubricant through thek passageways 28 and 30 from one side of the casing to the other, the lubricant flowing through the groove 32 and the holes 33 in the valve. When, however, the steering wheel is released and the valve returns to the position shown in Figs. l and 5 by a spring or gravity, or both, it is obvious that the circulation of the lubricant will be stopped, and hence further movement of the gears and of the guiding wheels of the vehicle is checked.

Ink accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, l have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which l now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but l dsire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means. e

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

l. The combination with a rotatable steering wheel, of a guiding wheel, a train of re,- ducing. gears between the wheels, certain of which act as a rotary pump, a by-pass connecting the two sides of the pump, and a valve for controlling said by-pass.v

2. The combination with a rotatable steering wheel, of a wheel moved thereby, gearing between the wheels which in addition to transmitting motion also forms a part oit a rotary pump, a by-pass connecting the two sides of the pump, a valve 'for controlling said by-pass, and means for operating said valve located adjacent to said steering wheel.

3. rihe combination with a rotatable steering wheel, oi two intermeshing lgears driven thereby, a casing inclosing said gears, a bypass from one side of the casing to the other, and means for controlling said bypass.

4L. The combination with a steering wheel, of a train of gears driven thereby, a casing inclosing the portion of said train closely, a by-pass between the opposite sides of said casing, means for controlling said by-pass, and a filling of liquid for said casinO- 5. The combination with a tubular steering post, oi a train of gears driven thereby, two ot which gears constitute a rotary pump, a by-pass from one side of said pump to the other, a valve controlling said by-pass, and a Valve rod inclosed in said post.

6. The combination with a tubular steering post, of a train ot gears driven thereby, two or which constitute a rotary pump, a by-pass from one side of the pump to the other, a Valve chamber in line with said post, a valve in said chamber controlling said by-pass, and a valve rod extending: through said post.

7. The combination with a steering post, of two casings, a gear in each casing, one

turning loosely therein and the other having a close iit, a pinion on the post meshing with the first gear, and a pinion on the shaft of said gear meshing with the second gear, a by-pass around the second gear and its pinion, a valve controlling said by-pass, and a reservoir of lubricant for said casings.

S. The combination with a tubular steering post, of two superposed casings, a reservoir above the upper casing, a valved port from said reservoir to the bearing of said post, a train of gears in said casings, a valve chest between said casings, a by-pass in said chest around a portion of said gears, a valve controlling said by-pass and iitting in said post, and a valve rod extending through said post.

9. rlhe combination of a driving and a driven member, a power multiplying connection between the members that also forms a part of a loclr, a casing that contains the connection and cooperates therewith to form the remainder of the lloclr to prevent relative movements of the vsaid members, anda means actuated from a point outside of thecasing for controlling the action of the loclr.

l0. The combination ot a driving andk a driven, member, a mechanical power-multiplyingy connection between the members, a

hydraulic locking means purtiully formed by one portion only of the Suid connection, und u positively-uotunted vulve for Controlling the notion of tbe hydraulic lockingA means.

ll. The combination oit n (lriif'ing nml u driven member, geni-ing between lne menibers noting :is u power-multiplyingl eonneetion, :l l'lui(l-eontuining @using ilor one portion of the gears, llie walls oit' wliieli multe u eloseiit with finiti geurs, :intl u vulve which controls tbe passage et' tliiiil in tbe euling Yfrom one side el the genrs lo the other.

l2. The eoinbinutfion ot n i'lriring nml u driven member, u double sel' et spur-gears forming u power-multiplying Connection between Suid nien'ibers, one Set of genre also noting ns u pump, u close fitting euSing for one pair oil" gears which Contains :i bocly ot' non-eoinpressible fluid, n bypass for shunting the fluid from one side of the gears to the other, sind u positively-actuated Valve for eontrolling the [low of lluicl in Suid bypass.

,l 'llie combination o'l u driving und u ilriven member, u power multiplying connection between ilie members that includes geur wheels, ,sniil wlieelS :ilse forming n pnrt of u loeli lo prevent relntive movements of the sniil members, u m mns eoperuting with Suid gears to l'orm tlie renminfler olf tbe look, intl u menne At'or (controllingr tbe notion ot' tlle lock.

in witness whereof, l lm've Vhereunto set my lmml ibi@I sixth (luy ot lllnreli, '1907.

lfllCR-il'lANN IJEMP.

litnesses JOHN A. liloliLiNUs, Jr. Fiumi li. HAnnING'roN. 

